Character Analysis in the Sun Also Rises

Summary: Jake Barnes is not the hero in the novel
"The Sun Also Rises". He is just the protagonist and the narrator. He really doesn't accomplish anything courageous or of great nobility. As an American expatriate, Jake wanders through Paris and other cities, going from bar to bar and drinking heavily at each.

The motivation of Jake Barnes, the central character, is his love for Brett Ashley. This is most explicit as Jake tells Brett that "I love you so much" (p. 61). However, Jake later begs Brett to be with him, but she replies that she would always "tromper" him (p.62), a French word meaning "to commit adultery." (French Linguistics, Neil Coffey) A wound Jake receives during the war renders him impotent, and he thus cannot satisfy Brett's need for sex.

Another motivation for Jake is surviving the remaining years as a war veteran. Throughout the novel, Jake and his expatriate friends spend a good deal of time in Paris drinking and talking about drinking. Jake is very passionate for liquor. (Djos, p. 1) For example, one of Jake's friends refers to Jake as an "extraordinary champagne buyer." (p. 89) This is his way of living as a war veteran.